Prayerful Reflection For The Upcoming Election

election

white house

This election season has been placing many into a state of confusion, leaving them to wonder about the direction our nation will soon be heading in. As Christians, we must remain rooted in our convictions. In these moments, I am reminded of the words of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.”

Joshua advised the Israelites, “If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling…” (Joshua 24:15, NAB). Sometimes, I feel that a modern day version of this passage might read: If it does not please you to endorse those who are good and righteous, decide today whom you will endorse, the gods beyond the Hill, who exhibit contempt for human life and religious conscience, or the gods of the angry and divisive, in whose state you are dwelling.

Prayer offers opportunities to grow and gain deeper perspective. The Catechism of the Catholic Church and various documents on prayer address the distinct types (Intercession, Petition, Thanksgiving, Adoration, and Praise) and ways we can accomplish this. The goal is to understand and apply this in our lives.

Sacred Scripture is filled with numerous moments where prayer has been essential during difficult times; from the time of the Israelites (who persevered under harsh circumstances) to the time of Christ (and the establishment of the early Christian communities). Realizing the significance of prayer, and its outcome, inspires us to continue this practice, especially when challenges arise.

Where Do We Begin To Pray Before An Election?

Fr. Arthur Tonne, in an article about events during World War II, entitled Talks on the Sacramentals, wrote the following about the Sign of The Cross:

Yes, the sign of the cross is the salute of the true follower of Christ whether he is conqueror or conquered, whether he is German, Chinese, American or Australian. It is the countersign of the Christian. In particular, it is the special salute of the Catholic.

(I would further add that this holds true whether one is Republican, Democrat, or Independent.) The Sign of The Cross reminds us of our true identity as Christians, and makes us witnesses of Christ. This should stir up our faithful convictions as Catholics to meditate (if only for a few moments) on the Theological Virtues of faith, hope, and charity. This approach to prayer creates a sense of humility, sincerity, and devotion, which can encourage us to bring the virtues into our lives (and perhaps into the voting booth). Prayer involves communication and so it is necessary to creating a solid platform on which to convey who the right candidates are (if there are any).

Taking time to witness the Real Presence of Christ will strengthen our understanding of discernment and help lead to more productive reflection and consideration as we approach Election Day. A fundamental aspect of this is humility since this offers opportunities for “turning back to Him” (CCC 2629) for guidance. Our prayer life also builds off of itself so that what is gained is never lost or undermined. This can help us recognize and acknowledge what we may not know (or may have failed to consider) regarding certain candidates, making us better evaluators of their moral character, and of our personal intentions for supporting them.

Intercession and Petition

Scripture reveals to us numerous examples of intercession from Abraham interceding for the righteous people of Sodom (Gen. 18:16-33), to Moses interceding on behalf of the Israelites (Exodus 32:30-34), to Jesus interceding on behalf of those who condemned Him, beat Him, mocked Him, and crucified Him (Luke 23:34). When we ask for prayers and guidance for others, we assure that no one is ever left out.

This indicates the necessity to show concern for all those in our world, especially the ones who desire to lead it (whether we agree with them or not). It is important to note that praying for these individuals does not equate to endorsing them, or even condoning their actions for that matter. This is about praying that they may be drawn to demonstrate goodness and justice in their actions, allowing all within our nation and our world to prosper, and not just a privileged few.

The Rosary

Praying the Rosary is an exceptional way of bringing hope. Mary, Herself, proclaimed the power of the Rosary, and St. Pio referred to it as his weapon against sin and evil. The Rosary encourages contemplation and includes appealing to Christ, so to be led by Him. We can place our complete faith and trust in the Lord, taking into account the words from the Book of Isaiah, “Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes, The Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, He it is who will save us” (Isaiah 33:22 NAB).

All are dependent on God’s grace and praying will not only provide access to Him, but intensify the guidance needed. We must never lose sight of the fact that we are always in constant need of direction and assistance and therefore must be willing to remove ourselves from this world, on occasion, to place ourselves in the presence of our true leader. Recognizing our finiteness is essential to undertaking the obligation to pray so we can grow in our understanding of greater truth and justice. God is always revealing Himself to us, despite what we see and experience going on in the world.

This election will be a test for many and there is much to discern over the coming weeks. This alone should make one take advantage of opportunities to gain more and more divine guidance. It is a comfort to know that even though our eventual leaders will let us down (whoever they may be), our Lord will not. As Joshua ended his statement to his people with the words, “…As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15, NAB), we too must aspire to do the same through our actions. Because regardless of the outcome in November, God still has the ultimate authority over us, our nation, and our world. His ways are the ones that truly matter.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.